Soft doors with Roadster inserts

[Jason Sandsux]

I'm looking for information and if possible pictures would be great. My 77 bronco has the fiberglass roadster door inserts and I've been given a Bestop soft top that I want to use. I see where I can order soft doors that match the roadster inserts but I don't understand how they will mount. It seems like there's no structure in the fiberglass inserts to allow for the soft doors to be hung. I don't want to order the doors until I understand what needs to be modified to make them work.
Thank you, Jason

 

[garberz]

The Bestop doors drop into metal hinges that attach to jamb of the insert. They come with large sheet metal screws.%) I used 1/4-20 bolts with nylon nuts and made some backing plates for extra support, the same for the striker tab for the latch. The one piece door inserts are much heavier than the older inserts that have the sheet metal backing. But either style will support the doors. Good luck. I've been running soft doors for quite a while now, I don't ever plan on going back.

Mark

 

[GWBronco]

Jason I am in Knoxville and have soft doors on mine if you would like to see it in person. PM if you want to.

 

[WILDHORSES]

https://assets.bestop.com/files/_bestop/2/2/6/51772_is.pdf

Mounting instructions from Bestop. The tips from Mark are a really good idea too.

Jim

 

[Glass Pony]

The Bestop doors drop into metal hinges that attach to jamb of the insert. They come with large sheet metal screws.%) I used 1/4-20 bolts with nylon nuts and made some backing plates for extra support, the same for the striker tab for the latch. The one piece door inserts are much heavier than the older inserts that have the sheet metal backing. But either style will support the doors. Good luck. I've been running soft doors for quite a while now, I don't ever plan on going back.

Mark

Good info here. I should have done this as I don't have any issue with the hinges but the striker latch is a different story. The striker latch takes a beating.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Doors have posts that go into metal loops that you bolt to the inserts. When you order the doors just ask if they come with the body side hinge hardware. If not ask for it.

 

[Jason Sandsux]

Thank you for the replies. That makes sense now and I checked out the instructions also. I'm going to back up the inserts with metal. Doors will be ordered today. Planning to drive it over the winter so this will be needed.

 

[sprdv1]

And looks good too on your rig

The Bestop doors drop into metal hinges that attach to jamb of the insert. They come with large sheet metal screws.%) I used 1/4-20 bolts with nylon nuts and made some backing plates for extra support, the same for the striker tab for the latch. The one piece door inserts are much heavier than the older inserts that have the sheet metal backing. But either style will support the doors. Good luck. I've been running soft doors for quite a while now, I don't ever plan on going back.

Mark

 

[garberz]

And looks good too on your rig

Thanks Dave!

 

[McLeod]

Do the doors have some kind of seal to keep the rain out or will some moisture make its way under them?

 

[garberz]

Do the doors have some kind of seal to keep the rain out or will some moisture make its way under them?

The Bestop doors come with a few feet of stick on weather stripping. I never seen it installed on the ones I've seen.

Mark

 

[bmc69]

I didn't back up the hinges on the first one I put soft doors on..and regretted it soon enough. The two EBs I'm building now with the sport doors are getting 1/4" aluminum plate epoxied to the backside of the insert so the soft doors will be well supported.

Pic of the first one I did.

 

[BGBronco]

Related to this topic, I'm getting ready to get door inserts and soft doors. Which inserts are better for adding doors? I was looking at the Bronco Design doors. I've heard good things and they are local. BC Broncos had black ones but apparently the person they use to build them has some medical issues.